Synthesis and Characterization of Graphite Oxide Derived TiO2-Carbon Composites as Potential Electrocatalyst Supports

TiO2-C (carbon) hybrid materials are promising electrocatalyst supports because the presence of TiO2 results in enhanced stability. Use of new types of carbonaceous materials such as reduced graphene oxide (rGO) instead of traditional active carbon provides certain benefits. Although the rutile polymorph of TiO2 seems to have the most beneficial properties in these hybrid materials, the anatase type is more frequent in TiO2-rGO composites, especially in graphite oxide (GO) derived ones, as GO has several properties which may interfere with rutile formation. To explore and evaluate these peculiarities and their influence on the composite formation, we compared TiO2-C systems formulated with GO and Black Pearls (BP) carbon. Various physicochemical methods, such as attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR)-, solid state NMR-, Raman- and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), electron microscopy, etc. were used to characterize the samples from the different stages of our multistep sol-gel synthesis. Our experiments demonstrated that utilization of GO is indeed feasible for composite preparation, although its sodium contamination has to be removed during the synthesis. On the other hand, high temperature treatment and/or solvothermal treatment during composite synthesis resulted in decomposition of the functional groups of the GO and the functional properties of the final product were similar in case of both composites. However, Pt/TiO2-GO derived sample showed higher oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity than Pt/TiO2-BP derived one. Based on the decrease of electrochemical surface area, the stability order was the following: Pt/C (commercial) < Pt/TiO2-BP derived C < Pt/TiO2-GO derived C.